I'd Lie
by Kazza169
Summary: Song-fic: based on Taylor Swift's song "I'd Lie". AU: Sam and Andy have been best friends since Andy was in the academy. She feels something more for Sam; does he return those feelings? Andy's unwilling to take the leap of faith. "And if you ask me if I love him, I'd lie." Random snippets of the lives they lead. I suck at summaries... T to be safe.
1. Counting The Colours

**I'd Lie**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters. All rights belong to their rightful owner.**

**A/N: I'm not much of a writer (I do enjoy it every now and then) so it won't be perfect. But I've had this idea in my head for a while... so hopefully if you guys like it I'll continue it :) **

**Based on Taylor Swift's song "I'd Lie"**

* * *

**Chapter 1: **

_I don't think that passenger seat  
Has ever looked this good to me  
He tells me about his night  
And I count the colours in his eyes_

"McNally! McNally, come here!"

She had barely just heard her name over the music and chattering of the patrons that filled The Black Penny, the local hang out for the coppers of 15 Division. The place she would begin working at tomorrow. Andy McNally knew it probably wasn't the best idea to go out drinking the night before her first shift but how could she possibly turn down the opportunity? It was basically tradition. All the rookies would go to The Black Penny for a few drinks with their new co-workers; almost like an initiation. Besides, she promised herself she would only have one beer and save the partying until after her first shift as a reward.

"McNally!" Oliver called again

Andy laughed quietly to herself as she spotted Oliver beckoning her over to the table where his fellow Training Officers were sitting. Oliver had this huge grin on his face and Andy knew he was far from being sober. Taking a look around the table at the other TO's and their matching smiles, she knew they would all regret those tequila shots in the morning.

"Sammy needs a ride home" Oliver stated while looking Andy right in the eye, like he knew she wouldn't be able to say no to one of her best friends.

"No I don't. I'm fine, I swear" Sam replied, although the way he wobbled on his chair said otherwise. "McNally, I'm fine. I'm good. You stay and have fun."

Taking one look at Sam, she smiled. That boyish grin and the gleam in his eyes never failed to make her heart flutter. She shook her head,

"No it's okay, I don't want to drink too much tonight anyways. I have to impress my training officer tomorrow, wouldn't want to let anyone down."

"Andy." Sam said, suddenly looking overly serious. "You'll be amazing tomorrow. I know it. And no matter who you get I know you'll impress them as much as you've impressed me these last few years."

"Sam…" Andy started, but the words got caught in her throat. She never realized how proud he was of her. Ever since they met when she was in the Academy and when he was barely into his first year as a TO, they had been inseparable. He taught her everything he knew about being a cop and she opened his heart to see the world a little differently. Although, that led him straight to Monica. She shook her ahead again to clear her thoughts. Andy settled with a simple thank you and then stated it was definitely time for him to head home. Grabbing Sam's arm she helped him up and then allowed him to rest some of his weight on her. They said goodbye to their friends before heading out to the car park.

"Have you got your keys Sam?"

He fished around in his pocket before triumphantly pulling out the keys to his truck.

"McNally, you should feel really special. I mean, I don't let just anyone drive my baby." He said as he dangled the keys in front of her face.

"I know Sam" a soft smile graced Andy's face.

"Be careful okay? I just got her paint re-done."

Andy rolled her eyes and snatched the keys from him, "Alright alright. Come on old man, let's get you home." She helped guide Sam to the passenger side and only when he was safely inside did she get into the truck herself.

The drive was silent, Sam appeared too worn out to do much else but stare out the window at the passing objects. The silence was good, it helped to clear her head and remove the feelings that were slowly starting to creep back in.

Sam was infuriatingly charming and those god damn dimples always had her stomach fluttering. He was her weak spot. He never failed to make her laugh when she had a bad day and she trusted him like no one else. He was always there for her when she needed it most. No matter what. He could drive her insane one minute and have her wanting to kiss him the next. Sam was however, still a total mystery to her. No matter how much she thought she knew about him, he'd come out and surprise her.

Glancing over at the passenger seat where Sam sat with his head resting against the window, she thought about how lucky she was. Lucky that she met Sam, one of the only guys she could really trust with her heart. Lucky that she got to see a side that hardly anyone else saw. People who didn't know Sam well enough always assumed he had an uncaring heart, a cynical outlook on life. They saw him as someone who didn't care for anyone but himself but Andy knew behind that tough exterior that he put up, Sam was one of the sweetest and gentlest guys she knew. He was a big softie at heart.

Andy had to reign in her feelings though. Sam was utterly clueless. And she couldn't bear to tell him in case he didn't feel the same, forever ruining their perfectly fine friendship. Things were good the way they were and the negative outcome far outweighed the positive. She couldn't risk it. Plus there was Monica. It took so long for Sam to finally open his heart to someone and regrettably with the help of Andy, Sam finally worked up the courage to ask the nurse out for dinner. Sam was finally happy, and that was all that mattered.

"Andy" Sam's quiet voice broke the silence that filled the car

"Yeah?"

"You like Monica right?" Andy fought the urge to snap her head over to look at him.

"Yeah Sam I do," Andy replied hesitantly, if it meant Sam would be happy then why the hell not, "why? What's up?"

"I'm not sure…"

"You're not sure?" Andy had no idea whether this was drunk Sam talking or sober Sam, either way she was confused.

"How long does it take to fall in love?"

Andy figured this was definitely drunk Sam, sober Sam would never talk about his feelings and falling in love… At least Andy didn't think he would. Maybe Monica really was it for Sam.

"I think it's different for everyone." Afraid to ask the next question knowing it could break her heart, she inquired anyway, albeit knowing his answer might not be one she would want to hear, "Do you love Monica?"

"No." Andy couldn't help but turn her head to look at him in surprise. The bluntness of his answer scared her and thrilled her at the same time.

"Oh um okay…" Andy was unsure what else to say, instead she focused on driving down the familiar road towards Sam's house.

"Do you think that's weird? I mean we've been together for 7 months but tonight, before I went to the Penny, we had dinner together and as I sat there I realized nothing was clicking, you know? I mean, I'm meant to feel something right. I'm supposed to feel like there's nowhere else I'd rather be, I'm meant to be enjoying her company right? All that sappy stuff. I'm meant to be feeling it right?"

Andy took her attention off the road for a few seconds to quickly glance at Sam and as their eyes connected she noticed the vulnerability in them. His brown eyes usually sparkled with confidence but all she saw when their gazes locked was that he seemed lost and unsure of himself.

"Sam…" Andy trailed off, still unsure of how to respond.

"It's just tonight, Traci and Jerry, you can see it. It's obvious they love each other. Do you see it with me and Monica?" From her peripheral vision she could see Sam's eyes boring into the side of her head, willing her to look at him.

"Sam. I can't… I don't know. I mean I've only seen you and Monica a handful of times together. Maybe it just takes a bit of time."

"Yeah, maybe." But from the tone of Sam's voice it had sounded like he had already made his mind up.

The silence returned allowing both Sam and Andy to be consumed by their thoughts.

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**What do you think?  
****Feedback would be awesome  
****x**


	2. Not Gonna Fall

**I'd Lie**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters. All rights belong to their rightful owner. **

**A/N: Ahhh, sorry I haven't updated in ages! I'm in my final term of high school and I'm so busy with assignments… but my schedule should be clearing up in the next few weeks. So hopefully updates will come sooner!  
I REALLY appreciate the feedback – I wasn't expecting this kind of response at all! I'm glad you're all enjoying it! :D  
I know a few of you wanted to know more about Sam and Andy's friendship before Andy started at 15 (Like when they first met, how they became such good friends etc) and honestly; I had no plans of writing those sorta scenes… but I'm reconsidering… and I'll TRY to squeeze them in as flashbacks during some future chapters.  
Anyways, this is the next installment. Enjoy! x**

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

_He'll never fall in love he swears  
As he runs his fingers through his hair  
I'm laughing 'cause I hope he's wrong_

Three weeks had flown by. It was only three weeks ago Andy was buttoning up her uniform for the first time and already she felt like she had experienced more drama and action than Sam had his whole career. Maybe she really was bad luck; Ollie had teased her about it countless times but every time she brought it up with Sam he simply smiled and said he was happy he had someone to keep him on his toes.

Andy smiled at the memory. Sam's reassurances and support was what carried her through each and every shift and having him as her training officer meant he was by her side most of the time; she couldn't be happier. Except today… well that was a whole other story.

As they drove through the streets of Toronto, not one word had been uttered by Sam. Andy tried to make conversation but Sam only made noises of acknowledgment and instead focused all his attention on the road. Normally Andy could read Sam so well, but today… her heart couldn't help but clench at the thought that she might have done something to upset him. As she wracked her brain to try and understand Sam's quiet behavior, the silence suddenly ended.

"I'll never fall in love… I don't **want** to fall in love."

Andy sharply turned her head to look at him, her mouth opening and closing – unsure how to reply. That was the last thing she was expecting to come out of his mouth.

"What?"

"Love. You know McNally, that mushy stuff. I don't need it."

"Sam…" Andy was at a loss for words, "You love your family though right?"

Sam chuckled as if Andy had told a funny joke, "I mean like the romantic stuff."

Andy stared at the side of Sam's head, willing him to look her way. She needed to see them. His eyes. She would only know for sure that he was being serious when she looked in his eyes. People say that you can read a person just through their eyes. Sam Swarek was no exception and being one of his best friends, Andy could basically read him like a book if their eyes were connected. Luckily for her, Sam noticed her gaze and turned to look at her for a split second and what she saw… well if she thought her heart had clenched before, the unexplainable pain she was feeling now… well it was ten times harder to deal with.

The lost, confused and unsure of himself man she drove home three weeks ago was gone. Instead he was replaced with a Sam that looked overly confident, like he just thought of the best idea in the world. This Sam… was normal Sam, the one she had grown accustomed to know. And that scared the hell out of her.

Andy would understand if she looked into his eyes and saw a man who was lost within himself, but instead she saw determination and confidence. Two things she was not expecting from a Sam who just declared that he had given up on love. It was all wrong. Sam couldn't give up on love… otherwise he would unknowingly be giving up on her. She knew she was starting to sound pathetic, he was a grown man, he could do what he wanted but it didn't stop her from feeling a sharp pang in her chest.

As she continued to stare at Sam with the same dumfounded look, he ran one of his hands through his hair – the other completely in control of the wheel. It was almost like his body was contradicting itself. Two completely opposite feelings. It's the little things that give it away to Andy. She immediately had a bit more hope. She knew there was still a part of him that was still mulling over his decision to give up on love while the other part of him, the stubborn half, was head strong and unwilling to change opinions.

Suddenly Andy laughed. Like word vomit, except with laughing – Sam was being ridiculous, he was wrong. Sam turned his head, a confused look upon his face. He smiled though, Andy had no idea why. She expected him to be stern with her, ask her what she thought was so funny but he smiled like everything in his life was falling into place. That immediately snapped Andy out of her laughing,

"So this decision you've made, to never fall in love, is it because of Monica?"

"She is part of the reason. Yes."

"Sam…" Andy was not pleased. If he was giving up on love because of one girl, well he had another thing coming.

"Okay okay, I know that tone. Hear me out okay?"

Andy let out a sigh, some days it was frustrating how well they knew each other but she was willing to listen anyway. She raised her eyebrow and sent him a look that screamed, _'Well? Continue.'_

Sam smirked but started his explanation, "It's not _just _Monica, she's a big part… I mean, you remember that conversation we had three weeks ago when you drove me home? You probably thought I was just saying things 'cause I was drunk right? Well, I wasn't **that **drunk and I meant every single thing I said. Things with Monica… never felt right. Sure she was great **fun**, you know?" Sam faced her again for a split second with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Ugh. Sam!" She **really **did not want to know. She looked away and focused on anything she could spot outside the car; willing herself to push her feelings down to the very bottom of her heart.

"Anyways, the stuff I said about Jerry and Traci, and her and me. We're not the same."

"And I told you that everyone is different" Andy interrupted.

"I know that, but it still doesn't feel right. Plus, like I said, it's not just her."

"Well, what other reason is there then?"

"Me."

"You?" Andy asked; feeling confused all over again.

"Yeah. I just don't think I'm in the right place in my life right now."

She thought Sam was all put together, knew what he was doing – and even if he didn't who cared. She always thought of Sam as more of a free spirit, someone who would do something in the spur of the moment and just go with the flow. This side she was seeing of him today was all new to her. There he went surprising her again.

Sam took Andy's silence as a hint to continue,

"Like I said, it's not just Monica. There's this feeling I have…. I just don't think now is the right time for me to be in a relationship, you know?"

"Sam, come on… you don't think you're maybe sounding a little… I don't know, silly? You're giving up on love because of this… feeling?"

"For now. I'm giving up on love for now" Sam corrected

"I just think that maybe you're reading into it too much."

"Maybe you're right. But this is my feeling, in my gut. Right now. Alright? Andy, I've always trusted your gut and I need you to trust mine." Sam looked deep into her eyes, for as long as he could before he returned his attention to the road. Even that small amount of time helped her reach the conclusion that it was best to just let him decide what he wanted to do, and as his friend she knew that all she could really do was stand by his decision. Even if it hurt her.

"Okay" She said, nodding her head slowly as if still pondering whether she was making the right choice.

"Okay?"

"Yeah. Okay."

Andy had no idea what was going on with Sam at the moment and to be honest she blamed herself for not noticing sooner that something inside of him was changing. It was only a few years ago that Andy had opened Sam's mind to the world and now she felt like he was clamming back up again. She only hoped that it wouldn't take much to make him see that he was wrong. But in the mean time, she would have her partners back. No matter what.

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**Sorry for the long wait! Hang in there!  
Hit me up with a review x :)**


	3. The Way You Are

**I'd Lie**

**A/N: Did anyone notice the sneaky quote I put in the last chapter? ;)  
Anyways, again, I'm SO sorry for the long wait. Like I said, I was incredibly busy with assignments and studying for exams but it's all over now! So I'm back to writing! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters. All rights belong to their rightful owner.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: **

_And I don't think it ever crossed his mind  
He tells a joke I fake a smile  
That I know all his favorite songs and  
I could tell you his favorite colors green  
Born on the seventeenth  
He'd never tell you but he can play guitar_

"McNally! You made it!" Sam's beaming face appeared from amongst the crowd of people.

"Of course I did, wouldn't miss it for the world!" Andy replied with added dramatisation while giving him a soft smile.

He pulled her in for a friendly hug before releasing her, "Oh and all that mushy girl talk is never happening again, just so you know."

"Huh?"

"You know, in my truck and then again in the squad car. I'm not Traci – so no more girl talk okay?"

She laughed quietly just glad that he seemed back to his usual self, "Sure Sam, no more girl talk. Promise."

"Good! Now come on, everyone's already here – you're missing a fantastic party." Sam grinned at her, his dimples on show, whilst he grabbed her hand tugging her through the crowd. Andy felt her breath catch in her throat at the contact. His warm hand had enveloped her smaller one and the tingling sensation crept all the way up her spine. She felt her legs nearly give out, her knees suddenly knobbly as if they couldn't hold her weight. Idiot. She was an idiot. As she stumbled after Sam, it was like he seemed to notice her struggling to walk. He slowed his pace down, in less of a hurry to get to their destination, instead he turned his whole attention to her face, his brown eyes curious and searching hers. She simply shook her head, signalling that nothing was wrong while giving him another soft smile. He seemed to believe her because he turned back around and continued to tug her along gently. Andy could feel her face heating up. There was no way he knew how she felt about him; the thought had probably never even crossed his mind. She was an idiot.

"McNally!" Oliver's booming voice cut through her thoughts.

"Andy, hey" Traci pulled her in for a soft hug, while a chorus of hello's could be heard by the other rookies as well as Jerry, Noelle and Frank.

It was Sam's housewarming party and practically everyone from 15 Division had been invited, why Sam needed to have such a large party, she would never know. She would have thought that Sam's housewarming would have consisted of poker and hockey re-runs with the guys. But maybe this was all part of Sam's new approach to life. Ever since Sam broke up with Monica, he had become more carefree. Not that it was a bad thing. It was just… different. She was used to Sam being a little more guarded but she had to admit she was just glad to see that gleam in his eyes again. She was beginning to miss that sparkly brown hue.

"McNally, you just made it. Sam here was just about to tell another one of his fantastic jokes." Oliver said quite sarcastically, while throwing his arm around Sam's shoulder and giving him a friendly pull towards himself.

Sam nudged away from Oliver jokingly and let out a laugh,

"This one's new, I swear" he said, looking Andy right in the eye.

Sam began talking animatedly, throwing his hands out in wild directions for added emphasis. He tried to maintain eye contact with the whole group throughout his joke telling, but Andy thought she noticed his eyes straying towards her more often than everyone else. She quickly pushed those thoughts aside; they had no place in her mind. She wished that she would stop thinking that Sam saw her any different than as one of his best friends, but more often did she care to admit those thoughts would creep into her head.

Hearing Jerry snort, at what she was guessing was another one of Sam's lame jokes, was Andy's clue that Sam had finished. The other girl's giggled, most likely at how bad the joke had been and Andy could only let out a fake smile; to be honest she had not even heard a word of Sam's joke. She had been too pre-occupied in her own mind. Their friends snorts and laughter towards Sam, and not his actual joke, did nothing to discourage Sam, who smirked and looked almost proud of himself. This time Andy's face was graced with a real smile. Sam was painfully endearing.

"_When's my birthday?"_

"_Seventeenth of November. You're such a typical Scorpio." _

"_Favourite colour?"_

"_Green. That one is easy, Sam."_

_The two of them were lounging on Sam's bed, piles of books laid out between them. They had decided to take a small break from studying for Andy's last Academy exam._

"_Fine. Favourite song?"_

"_Spirit of the radio by Rush."_

"_How did you know that one?"_

"_Besides the fact that you play it in your truck all the time?" Andy gave him a pointed look to which Sam simply laughed and nodded as if to agree with her,_

"_Right. You got me there" he said sheepishly._

"_Just admit it. I know a lot about you and you're no longer Sam Swarek – greatest mystery to humankind." Andy giggled as Sam's mouth widened in surprise._

"_Oh really?" Sam gave her a cheeky look before lunging to tickle her._

"_Sam! Stop it! No!" Andy cried out in laughter, "Sam, ow! My stomach is hurting."_

"_Just admit that I'm still full of surprises McNally." Sam grinned at her as he continued his assault._

"_No! Nah-uh" Andy yelled between breaths._

"_C'mon McNally, I can keep this up for as long as I want." _

"_Fine! Fine. Sam Swarek, you are still full of surprises."_

_Satisfied, Sam stopped tickling her and she had somehow found herself on her back. Andy was now underneath Sam who had his hands on either side of her head, keeping her trapped between his arms; his torso gently adding a bit of weight against her own. _

_Almost as out of breath as she was, Sam had a lopsided grin on his face, "Bet you didn't know I play guitar."_

"_What?" _

_Sam chuckled and rolled off of her but still lying next to her, "Told you I've still got a few surprises." Sam nodded his head towards the corner of his bedroom, where she spotted a well-kept acoustic guitar. If it was possible Sam Swarek just got a thousand times sexier. _

"_Play for me?" Andy asked_

_Sam seemed to consider It, though he seemed a little unsure, "I haven't really played in front of anyone yet. I'm still learning…" _

_Shy and nervous were not two things she would have associated with Sam, but she immediately noted his hesitance to play. _

"_It's okay, you don't have to." Andy relented, the last thing she wanted to do was push him, especially since he had given up his time to help her._

"_No, you know what, let's make a deal. I'll quiz you. If you get everything right, I'll play you something." Sam gave her a warm smile and extended his hand to which she took and they both shook on it. _

_Andy turned to face him, her face was beaming with joy. She couldn't wait to hear him play._

"_Come on McNally, you better study up before I quiz you, otherwise you won't get to hear me play" Sam teased. _

Andy was brought out of her stupor when she noticed that the object she was reminiscing about was propped up in the corner of the living room.

"Sam!" Andy squealed as she skipped over to where the guitar was resting.

"McNally…" Sam said warningly. Andy couldn't help it though, Sam was actually really good and it saddened her that no one but her, Jerry and Oliver knew of his secret talent.

"Play for us!"

Sam let out a groan as a chorus of 'you play guitar?' could be heard from the rookies. Sam turned to give her a mock glare as if to say 'look what've done' but she simply shrugged her shoulders with an impish grin.

"Swarek, play us some tunes" Dov chimed in, to which Sam swiftly turned his head at him and glowered.

"Nope. No way." Sam shook his head.

"Come on Sam, don't you wanna show everyone how awesomely talented you are?" Andy baited.

"Not really, no."

"Don't worry guys, he's actually not that great anyway." Oliver said playfully.

"You're an ass, Shaw" said Sam, as he pushed Oliver away, "now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get another beer."

As Sam walked away, Andy had the urge to follow him so she left the guitar where it was and walked quickly to catch up with him. When they reached the fridge, Sam stopped, not even opening it. Instead he turned to face her and taking her by surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him.

"Oh…" Andy breathed, unsure as to what exactly was happening but she wrapped her arms around his torso anyway.

"Thanks Andy" he whispered.

She tilted her head up to face him, wondering why he was saying thank you.

"For being you" he cleared up, seeming to notice the questioning look in her eyes.

She simply tightened her hold on him. If all he saw in her was a friend, then she would be the best friend he ever had because being in Sam's life as just a friend was better than not being in his life at all. As corny as it sounded, she couldn't imagine her life without him in it and the possibility that she could ruin their friendship over feelings which he did not return, well the thought was unbearable.

Sam cleared his throat, "Let me get you a beer McNally" he said as he released her and smiled, before turning back towards the fridge.

Sam Swarek would need to be put on ice.


	4. Part Of The Family

**I'd Lie**

**A/N: The feedback from everyone is amazing! I really appreciate it and you guys are all awesome :D I've also been getting a few of the same comments so I thought I'd give you all a few answers…**

**As much as I'd love to have Sam and Andy together ASAP, this fic isn't really about that… It's kind of a journey… Sorry guys but I can tell you now Sam and Andy aren't going to just hook up anytime soon. But hang in there! Please. It's coming :)**

**Also, this has been frustrating me a lot as a writer… So I hope you guys forgive me when it comes to Sam's feelings. I'm really aiming to stick to one point of view in this story, which is Andy's, so I know you guys want to see where Sam is at during the story… But right now, as a struggling writer, I'm just not sure how to write from Andy's POV while giving you some depth into Sam's feelings... Hopefully I'll figure it out soon! **

**And I'd like to apologise for being a big fat liar. This update took a while even though I promised it wouldn't… I hate making excuses I've been busy graduation from High School(!), celebrating, and then I had to go to Melbourne to visit some Universities! But I'm finished with all that now and I should be able to update more frequently :D**

**Thank you everyone for sticking by me! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters. All rights belong to their rightful owner.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: **

_His sister's beautiful  
He has his father's eyes_

The worst part of this job? The paperwork. Andy had been sitting at her desk for the past two hours filling out paperwork and she had only finished a little more than half of the stack that had found its way onto her desk. It was going to be a long afternoon.

A few minutes later, she spotted Sam jogging through the precinct, weaving between desks before stopping at hers,

"Andy! Andy, I need your help." Sam panted, his eyes frantic, "Sarah just called to confirm my plus one for the wedding and then I realised I don't have a plus one anymore. Be my plus one?"

Andy had a hard time processing what Sam had just said, his words coming out in a blur.

"Sam, slow down. What's wrong?"

"Sarah's wedding, I was meant to bring someone, only now I don't have anyone to bring. Will you come with me?"

"Oh… um… I don't know Sam…" Andy was sceptical, so much for putting Sam on ice. Her mind could only begin to wonder who Sam's original plus one had been. Probably Monica. The thought had unintentionally created a sharp pain inside of her, to which she tried not to show on the outside.

"Please McNally! I checked the roster; I know you're free this weekend." Sam gave her one of his most charming smiles.

Before she could stop herself words seemed to tumble out of her mouth,

"Were you going to bring Monica?"

Sam paused, his head tilting to the side as if thinking about what to say. But seriously, what was there to think about? A simple yes or no would have sufficed. Then his eyes seemed to glimmer as he gave her a soft smile.

"No, actually I was going to bring Jerry", he said a little sheepishly, "Nash was meant to be working all weekend so we were going to go have a little guy time, you know… But Frank switched her shift with Collins, so turns out I've been back seated."

"Oh."

"So you'll come? Please?" Sam dragged out; Andy thought she might have even noticed him bat his lashes, which was definitely a sight to see.

"I don't know Sam, what's in it for me?" asked Andy, a cheeky smile spreading across her face.

"Apart from spending the weekend with one of the best looking guys you know?" Sam gave her a wink, well how could she possibly say no… No. Ice. Sam was on ice...

"But Sam… I haven't even met Sarah."

"Now you're just making excuses McNally." Sam said teasingly, "come on, I would really appreciate it if my best friend came with me. Please Andy."

She had never seen Sam this close to begging, it was almost amusing how much he seemed to want her to go. She had to admit, she did want to meet Sarah, and the rest of his family. It would be nice to hopefully find out more about Sam, who on most days, still seemed to be a total mystery.

"Alright" she relented, exhaling the breath she seemed to have been holding while she had that internal battle with herself.

"Great! Thanks Andy, you're the best" he said as he reached over to give her a tight hug to which she happily accepted. He gave her the biggest grin, lopsided with happiness and eyes shining bright. She would never understand why Sam was so excited that she agreed to go with him.

"Yeah, no worries" she replied softly, the happiness exuding from Sam catching her off guard.

"Here, give me half," he said, nodding towards the pile of paperwork, "it's the least I can do."

"Oh. You don't have to Sam. Seriously, it's fine. I want to go anyways, I'd love to meet Sarah and the rest of your family."

"McNally," Sam said in his TO voice, "partners always have each other's backs, now give me some of that."

A soft smile graced Andy's face as she reached over to hand Sam some of the paperwork, to which he happily took and started to work on straight away. Andy allowed herself to glance over at him discreetly, watching as his forehead creased a little in concentration as his pen flicked back and forth between his fingers, all the while a small smile still tugging at his lips. He was kind of perfect; and Andy couldn't help but wonder how she got so lucky to have a friend like Sam.

* * *

The car ride to St. Catharines had gone far too fast for Andy's liking. The conversation with Sam had been easy, like usual, however in the back of her mind she couldn't help but feel nervous. She was finally going to meet Sam's family, and although it wasn't like she was his girlfriend, she still wanted to be in their good books.

"McNally, I can hear the gears turning in your head from over here." Sam quipped as he turned to give her a smirk.

"Ugh," Andy snorted while giving him a slight slap across Sam's shoulder, "I'm nervous, okay."

"Why? My family will love you McNally."

"How do you know that?" she huffed stubbornly.

"Because you mean the world to me."

"Oh." Andy gasped, the full effect of Sam's words hitting her.

It was almost as if Sam realised the seriousness behind his remark. His mouth opened and closed as if he was attempting to get words out.

"You're my best friend Andy" he finally recovered after a long pause.

"Yeah..." Andy said softly, she mentally berated herself for allowing her heart to beat faster at the realisation of Sam's words and she scolded herself for feeling that sharp pang return in her heart when he corrected himself, clearly stating he only saw her as a friend.

Andy was in her own world after Sam's comment, to which she still could not decipher, when they pulled up alongside a brick house. It wasn't a big house but that was what made it look perfectly homely.

"We're here." Sam stated, breaking the silence.

Andy continued to stare outside the window, gazing at the house – imagining all the chaos that probably happening inside.

"Andy," Sam reached across the console to lightly grab her hand, "they'll love you, they'd be crazy not to."

Andy let her eyes rest on Sam's, taking in the sincerity behind his words. But before she could get a word out she heard someone yell out,

"Sammy! Is that you?"

They both cast their eyes to the front door where a woman was jogging down the pavement that led toward the curb where Sam was parked. Sam hopped out of the truck and Andy noted the huge grin on his face as he got out to greet her. The woman basically leapt into Sam's arms to which he had to take a few steps back to regain balance. Andy took the opportunity to get out of the truck as well, but she stood close to the door to allow Sam some private time. Sam seemed to want to have none of that though, immediately calling her over when their embrace ended.

"Andy, this is my sister Sarah. Sarah, this is Andy my-"

"**Best** friend. I know Sam," Sarah said pointedly, before turning towards Andy, "you're all he talks about Andy."

Andy raised her eyebrows at Sam while giving him a small smirk. She could have sworn that there was a slight blush tinting his cheeks as he mumbled incoherently.

Sarah's face lit up with a smile as she watched their exchange before pulling Andy into a tight hug, "It's nice to finally meet you."

Andy was caught off guard by the hug but welcomed it instantly.

As Sarah began to pull away from the hug, she held onto Andy's hand and began to tug her gently towards the house,

"Come on in, everyone's been dying to meet you Andy. Oh but my fiancé Paul is still at work, he'll be back for lunch though, you can meet him then!" Sarah exclaimed, the excitement radiating off her.

Andy turned her head towards Sam as she continued to be led up the path; she was not going in there alone. She was already nervous as it was, and it was beginning to show on her face. Sam let out a quiet chuckle as Andy kept moved her head back and forth to indicate that he should follow. Sure enough Sam followed behind them, but not before stopping to get their bags from the back of the truck.

"Mom! Dad! Sam and Andy's here!" Sarah called out as she continued to lead Andy through the house. They finally stopped in the kitchen where the first thing Andy noticed was the mess. There was lunch being cooked but all sorts of paperwork and wedding decorations were laid out across the room.

"Mom, Dad, this is Andy." Sarah introduced

"Hi Mr and Mrs Swarek," Andy said, albeit a little awkwardly. All eyes were on her and she was not quite used to all the attention.

"Oh Andy dear, please, you can just call me Elise." Sam's mom gave her a warm smile.

"Mr Swarek just makes me sound old Andy," Sam's dad laughed, his eyes sparkling, "Ron is fine."

"Oh, um okay…" Andy trailed off, feeling slightly overwhelmed, unintentionally Andy started worrying her bottom lip as she turned to search for Sam, who was just walking into the kitchen.

"Sam! There you are!" cried Elise as she went to wrap her arms around Sam.

"Hey Ma," Sam lent in to give Elise a kiss on the cheek before moving to shake his dads hand, "dad."

"Samuel, Sarah just introduced us to Andy here, why didn't you bring her home sooner aye." Ron chuckled, while clapping Sam on the back.

Sam laughed a little nervously while giving his dad a slight push away, he walked over to Andy and reached for her hand,

"You doing okay McNally?" Sam asked, bending his knees to catch her eyes.

She nodded but realised her hand tightened around his.

"They're a little overwhelming, sorry." Sam murmured

"No… they're amazing Sam. It's just I'm not used to the whole family scene." Andy shrugged

"Sam! Where have your manners gone, let Andy take a seat at the table," Elise scolded lightly, "and then you can help me make lunch."

"Yes Ma," Sam rolled his eyes jokingly, "you'd think after I moved out I would finally escape from the bossiness" he mumbled.

"I heard that Samuel!"

Andy let out a little giggle as Sam led her to the dining table,

"Stay put McNally" he instructed, as he went back to help Elise with preparing the food.

As Andy sat there at the table she began to feel more at ease as she took in the sight before her. Although Sarah seemed a little bit stressed as she looked over the paperwork strewn across the dining table, she was absolutely glowing. Her beauty shone through her angelic smile as she laughed at something Sam had said, and as she turned around to face her brother, her brown hair seemed to just follow and rest perfectly across her shoulders. Andy couldn't believe that the woman in front of her had endured such a hardship early on in her life and had come out looking as happy as Sarah looked. No doubt that she didn't struggle. Sam had sometimes confided with Andy about Sarah's trouble escaping from her horrible memories of the night she was attacked but looking at Sarah now, all Andy saw was a beautiful and courageous person who she would always have the utmost respect for.

Turning her attention to Sam's mom and dad… well what more could she say. Sam's natural good humour and strong personality seemed to be the perfect mix of his parents. She noticed in particular how alike Sam and his dad looked, and as the family shared another laugh she observed their resemblance was strongly reflected in their eyes. Flicking her eyes between Sam and Ron, she realised that their eyes were both that warm chocolate brown that sparkled with joy when they smiled. A smile graced Andy's own face as she realised just how much she loved Sam's eyes.

Andy made a note to herself to remind Sam to visit his family as much as he could because seeing Sam this happy and carefree well… she considered it a small miracle and Sam deserved to be this happy as often as possible. As time passed by she watched the family interact and their connection to one another produced the feeling of comfort within her. Andy started to realise how much she was enjoying everyone's company and how wonderful a family could be.

"Andy dear, remind me after lunch to show you some of Sam's photos when he was little; he always did like playing dress up with Sarah." Elise winked

"Ma!" Sam groaned, as a look of fear crossed his face.

She could get used to this.

* * *

**R & R :)**

**Seriously, thanks for sticking by me x**


	5. Not Looking Hard Enough

**I'd Lie**

**A/N: I hit a writer's block and I'm just not feeling inspired... I think it's because RB isn't on TV :( I apologise if this chapter is not up to scratch…  
Also I really had no idea what to write for this chapter… Normally I have things all planned out but honestly, for this I had no clue so I've pretty much just pulled words out of my butt. Sorry.**

**Seriously. Wow. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long! I feel terrible. Honestly I was meant to finish this before Christmas, but Christmas turned to New Year and now suddenly it's the second month of the new year. I am so ridiculously sorry for not giving you all an update sooner!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters. All rights belong to their rightful owner.**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

_He looks around the room  
Innocently overlooks the truth  
Shouldn't a light go on?  
Doesn't he know I've had him memorized for so long?_

Andy tugged nervously at her dress, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She couldn't quite understand why she was nervous, but she was. Although the more she thought about it she supposed it was because this wasn't her type of event. The annual Toronto Police Service Christmas gala was definitely tipped towards the formal end. Hence the dress.

She looked down at the dress that was currently hugging her body. The rich red halter neck dress was simple but still considered elegant because of the intricate beading along the waist. The dress had Andy's seal of approval only because of its simplicity. The open back and slit that was positioned off-centre however, was all Traci.

"_Trace, come on! I'm exhausted. We've been here for hours! Besides what was wrong with that blue one?" Andy groaned. She didn't mind the occasional shopping trip to find decent clothes but searching hours upon hours for the 'perfect' dress, for a work party no less, wasn't exactly the most enjoyable way to spend her afternoon off._

"_One more shop Andy, please" Traci pleaded, "I just know this is the one." _

"_Yeah well it's the only shop we haven't been into." Andy grumbled, before Traci shot her a disapproving look._

_Traci dragged her into the boutique where inside the small walls were covered in racks filled with dresses. Traci immediately began sifting through the dresses to the left of the shop while Andy peered over her shoulder, allowing Traci to do most of the picking. _

"_What about this one?" Traci suggested as she took the dress off the rack._

_Andy had to admit the red halter dress with a deep v cut neckline and flowing skirt did look beautiful. As Traci twirled the dress around, Andy noticed the open back, and suddenly as beautiful as the dress was it now seemed a little inappropriate for a work event. Andy fingered the fabric wondering whether she should buy it, then she noticed the slit through the dress that would come to a stop around her mid thigh. Definitely not appropriate._

"_I don't think so Trace…" Andy trailed off nervously._

"_What? Why?" Traci exclaimed, "This colour will look amazing on you Andy!"_

"_Well I mean, don't you think it's a little too… I don't know… open?"_

"_Really? Come on Andy, you're young, not to mention single, who knows maybe this is exactly what you need to have some fun with somebody." Traci suggested._

"_Traci! Our bosses are going to be at this party! The last thing I want is to seem unprofessional. Besides, I definitely don't want to be hooking up with a cop from some division." _

"_Andy… is this about Sam?" Traci questioned._

_Andy felt her cheeks heat up just a fraction, "I never even mentioned Sam."_

"_Oh please, you didn't have to. I'm your best friend Andy, you think I don't notice how close you and Sam have gotten. Or the fact that you haven't dated anyone seriously since you met Sam."_

"_That's not true! Remember David!" Andy retorted._

"_Oh David," Traci said with a touch of humor, "Andy, he doesn't even count."_

"_What? Why doesn't he count?"_

"_Because the guy's been in love with you sine 8__th__ grade and you felt sorry for him!"_

"_That's not true, I did not feel sorry for him. He was genuinely a sweet guy." Andy stated._

"_Andy it was obvious the guy was __**still **__hung up on you when you decided to date him when you were in the academy. I'm not even going to bother to tell you how many years has passed since high school." Traci said pointedly, "Now that I think about it, that's just creepy." _

"_Okay, so it was a little creepy," Andy said hesitantly, "but he was still a decent enough guy…" _

"_The point is Andy, maybe you need to give the Swarek thing a break – at least for a little while."_

_Andy only answered with a blank stare, "You know what they say; the best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody else." Traci smirked suggestively. _

"_Traci!" Andy exclaimed, her tone scolding._

"_Go try the dress on!" Traci easily ended the conversation by thrusting the red dress into her hands._

So sue her. After trying the dress on, she realized just how much she loved it. Open back and all. It wasn't until she walked into the large clubroom that she began to feel slightly nervous about her choice. Taking a deep breath she reminded herself not to over think things, and slowly but surely she made her way over to where her friends had gathered.

The night passed with an ease Andy was not expecting. Although there were quite a few speeches to sit through and many people she was introduced to; the night wasn't half as bad as she was thought it would be. One of the downfalls was she hadn't seen Sam all night and maybe there was a small part of her that had wanted him to see her in this dress. Which was stupid. So stupid. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she was startled when she heard someone clear their throat. Glancing up she saw a tall man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes looking down at her. He grinned sheepishly when he realized he had surprised her before sticking his hand out,

"I'm Luke, Andy right? I used to work with your dad over at 27" he explained when he noticed Andy's skeptical look.

"Oh I see," as the realization dawned on her, "nice to meet you."

"I have to say, the photo that was on your dads desk doesn't do you any justice," Luke smiled kindly; "you're much prettier in person."

Andy smiled, _handsome and charming._ She could maybe get used to this. Sure he didn't have dimples, and so she was never a big fan of blonde hair but maybe Traci was right. Maybe she needed to try something new.

She and Luke ended up sitting down by the bar where he bought her a drink. The pair chatting animatedly through the night. It wasn't until Luke excused himself to go to the bathroom that Andy finally had time to think things through. Although she was having a great time with Luke she still missed Sam's presence throughout the night. Speaking of Sam, as she glanced up from her drink and looked across the room, she swore she recognized that thick dark hair and as the man turned around the dimples on his face were ones she was quite familiar with. A large smile graced her face before she could even stop herself but soon she found herself wondering how long he had been here for. Sam seemed to notice her smiling at him as he returned the smile and began to make his way towards her.

"Hey, how long have you been here for? I didn't see you at all tonight."

"Yeah I got pulled back to help Boyd with his case."

"Boyd? As in guns and gangs Boyd."

Sam chuckled, Andy guessed it was probably because she was making a face. Sam knew just how much she disliked Boyd and his tendency to color outside the lines although Sam would occasionally overstep boundaries as well; she always hated it more when it was Boyd than Sam. Sam kinda just made it seem almost sexy.

"Yeah, some bust going on in Montreal. I've only been here for about fifteen minutes, nice huh? I missed all the speeches." Sam said cheekily.

"And you didn't come say hello?" Andy had to admit she was a little upset. She wasn't normally that overly attached girl, she was quite used to being independent and not needy but sometimes she just missed having him around. God, she sounded so pathetic, which only made her that much more upset. It was like a never ending cycle.

"McNally, I think you were doing okay."

Seeing her skeptical look he clarified, "Luke."

"Oh well yeah, he says he worked with my dad so you know he was just telling me some stories."

Andy saw a distant look come over Sam's face for a split second,

"Well he's a good detective; solid, reliable" Sam said softly, "he'd be good for you."

Andy could barely hold in her surprise. God he was so dense sometimes. She honestly didn't want anyone else, how could he not see how much he meant to her. At this moment, all Andy wanted to do was scream.

Instead Andy opted for a simple, "I only met him tonight Sam."

Sam held his hands up in surrender, "I'm just saying he's a better choice than David."

"Okay! What's with everyone hating on David? He was sweet."

Sam gave her a pointed look and she replied with a huff.

"Looks like your date's coming back, I'll leave you to it McNally." Sam glanced past her head where Luke was coming from.

"Sam, you don't have to leave" Andy silently begging him to stay, but Sam didn't seem to notice.

"Nah, I promised Ollie I'd sit with him for a bit. Poor guy is stuck with the white shirts."

He gave her a wink and turned to leave but stopped at the last minute. He turned back to face Andy, coming right up to her face. Andy held her breath at their closeness,

"You look beautiful tonight Andy" Sam whispered softly, and with that he placed a light kiss on her cheek and walked away.

The kiss left Andy in a daze and even the simple task of relinquishing the breath of air she had been holding in felt like a heavy weight. It wasn't even the first time he had placed an affectionate kiss on her cheek, occasionally the forehead, but never the lips. All the same the simple peck had left her breathless and unable to focus.

"Boyfriend?" Luke questioned, his gaze flicking between her and Sam's retreating back.

"No" she breathed in a sigh.

* * *

**Sorry for the wait!**

**If you want to see Andy's dress it's here:**

** . **


	6. Let The Right One In

**I'd Lie**

**A/N: Sorry everyone I thought I had edited the link enough for it to show up but I guess it still didn't work! (Some of you may know that you can't actually post links on FF) so I'm trying again! Hopefully it works this time:**

**Andy's Dress: ****www.( )bayliy.( )com/( )deep-v-neck-dress-empire-waist-beading-flowing-sk irt-halter-sod26090-( )product-3282.( )html**

**^ Remove the brackets and spaces**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters. All rights belong to their rightful owner.**

**Chapter 6:**

_He sees everything black and white  
Never let nobody see him cry  
I don't let nobody see me wishing he was mine_

"No McNally! You just don't get it do you? I know it was him!"

"No Sam! You're not listening to me at all! You can't know it was him for certain."

Things between Sam and Andy were reaching boiling point. Andy couldn't even remember a time when they were engaged in such a heated argument. This was probably their first and with the way things were going Andy certainly hoped it would be the last.

The case that rocked 15 Division to the core; pinning officers and detectives against each other. Splitting the division straight down the middle and as it turns out, causing a rift between herself and Sam. The hunt for Daniel Westerman; serial child abductor, killer and rapist. His first victim: his own son. An hour earlier, the officers of 15 were shaken when another young boy of only 11, was found dead. The fissure that tore the officers apart was the growing amount of evidence that seemed to prove the innocence of Westerman, at least for this crime against their latest victim.

"Andy, we know he killed his own son and I sure as hell know he killed Matthew."

She couldn't believe her ears. Since when did Sam over look the finer details? Since when was everything so straightforward and simple? This wasn't the Sam that she knew; usually he would go through all the evidence with a fine toothcomb before making any judgments. Today, Sam seemed to just assume everything and come to the conclusion that Westerman was guilty. It wasn't like Sam at all.

"You know what Sam, we'll probably be arguing until we're black and blue in the face, but if you just took the time to look through each piece of evidence carefully you would see that you are wrong. So until you get your head out of your own ass then I want nothing to do with you."

With that Andy stormed off, not giving Sam even the slightest chance to retort back.

Thinking back she was probably a little bit harsh. God she adored Sam so much, he was her best friend. But the way he had been acting recently, Andy felt like she barely knew him. Maybe her snapping at him would be a wake up call.

Andy was given plenty of time to cool off; in fact she was given the whole shift. It wasn't until she was changing into her usual jeans and top that Sam came knocking on the locker room door.

"Andy?" he called out hesitantly

Sighing, she knew she couldn't avoid him forever, "yeah?"

"You decent?"

Okay, he had seen her a handful of times without a shirt on – what was his deal now?

"Yeah Sam" she replied, deciding to humor him while quickly throwing her shirt over her head.

He carefully walked into the room, still in uniform but without his usual confident and purposeful stride that came with it. He stopped two lockers down from hers and leant up against them with his arms crossed against the front of his chest. If she had to guess she would probably say that he was absolutely exhausted and run off his feet but well, she couldn't see his face so she was unsure what he was feeling at the moment. His head was dipped low, while one foot was scuffing the floor.

Neither of them spoke for a while, which annoyed Andy a little. It's not like she was the one that sought him out. So she began roughly throwing her belongings into her bag, she just wanted to go home and take a nice long bath.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, her hand froze while her brain tried to process whether he had actually said anything. His whisper coming out so soft she felt like she had imagined it.

She shook her head, not looking up, continuing to place her things into her bag.

"McNally, c'mon," he said louder, "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."

"It's fine," she said brushing him off, still she did not look at him.

"Andy," he said with more desperation evident in his voice. He took a few steps towards her, reaching out to wrap his hand around her wrist and bending his knees to try and catch her eyes.

She gave in and finally looked at him, he gave her a tentative smile before softly tugging her wrist to make her face him.

She finally allowed herself to study his face and he looked absolutely broken, although he had a soft smile on his face she could see behind it. She had never seen Sam so torn up because of a case before.

"This case, it hit me hard, and I'm sorry for taking it out on you. I shouldn't have done that."

"Yeah you shouldn't have." So she agreed to look at him, didn't mean he was off the hook so easily.

Andy could tell her standoffish behavior was starting to get on his nerves, but honestly, he had her in a terrible mood for the whole day so yeah, payback was a bitch.

He let out a deep sigh before throwing his arms up, almost like he was giving up. Andy was sure he was going to leave so when instead she saw him start to angrily undo his uniform buttons she almost let out a shocked gasp. Sam took his uniform shirt off, the fabric not one to stretch and bend willingly, unlike his black t-shirt that he wore underneath. He turned to the side, pulling the t-shirt sleeve up, exposing his left arm. His tattoo.

"My first big case when I was a rookie. Reported child abduction, parents were devastated, beside themselves, I believed them. I found their son, a four year old boy, in the dads hockey bag in the basement."

As Sam spoke those words softly, Andy could hear the pain behind his voice. He seemed to grow angrier as the memories flooded back because when he spoke again his words came out harsher, "I went through everything thoroughly back then Andy, and it made no difference. So forgive me if I try a different approach this time."

"Sam…" she was at a loss for words, she had seen that tattoo countless times, but never would she have associated it with a case that he had worked. She thought it was maybe a relative or… an ex-girlfriend; a stupid drunken mistake is what she remembers praying for.

"Liam Uriah Cohen. He is my constant reminder that things are never what they seem." Sam looked down at his tattoo affectionately, "He was a tough kid, his arms and legs were bound but still the M.E found signs that he put up a fight, never gave up."

Andy took a hesitant step toward him, never had she seen Sam so vulnerable and all she wanted to do was hold onto him for dear life. Almost unconsciously she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth as she reached out to trace the initials with her finger. Being this close to Sam, she heard him draw in a shaky breath. She looked up to gaze into his eyes as she whispered quietly,

"Thank you for letting me in Sam." She knew it was probably difficult for him to expose himself, his feelings, as he just did.

With that she wrapped her arms tight around his waist, never wanting to let go. Almost immediately he responded by wrapping his arms around her, his head falling to rest against hers. And that's when she felt it more than heard it. The silent warm tears that she knew were flowing from his eyes.

The day had taken a major toll on the both of them, him more than her. And finally Sam had opened up a part of himself that she thought she would never have the privilege of seeing. He was usually so strong for the both of them. He was her rock but right now, in this moment, she knew she was his.

* * *

**God I'm so sorry for keep you all waiting again, I am probably the worst writer out there!**  
**I feel like I keep making you guys these promises for updates sooner, and I always end up breaking them! So I guess I'm just gonna stop making those promises.**  
**Just know that I really am trying my hardest to get updates out as soon as possible, but between not being a full on writer, trying to keep up with Uni and just lacking inspiration some days I hope you'll understand why it's so difficult for me to get these chapters out faster.**

**Anyways, if you're still reading this fic, I love you and thank you for sticking by me**

**x**


	7. Time For Change

**I'd Lie**

**A/N: Whoohoo! I'm finally on holidays so hopefully I can sit down and write a few more chapters this time, and I know I promise that in every chapter… but yeah. Seriously. I'M SORRY. REAL LIFE SUCKS.**

**I don't blame you if you've totally forgotten what happened in the previous chapter. Cause I sure as hell did…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters. All rights belong to their rightful owner.**

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

_He stands there then walks away  
My God, if I could only say  
I'm holding every breath for you_

She could get used to this. She could. He was smart, funny, kind, and well they had a lot in common. They did.

But even as she tried to focus on what Luke was saying her eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the entrance of the Penny. If Andy was being totally honest, she was waiting for Sam. Waiting for him to walk through the door, waiting for him to sweep her off her feet. _Yeah right._

Sam still seemed completely oblivious to her feelings for him, which in turn meant she was becoming that girl. She used to scoff at those girls. Those girls who couldn't get a grip. Who couldn't move forward with their lives because of one particular guy. But Sam Swarek had unintentionally turned her into that girl and Andy sort of hated him for it.

She tried to tune back into what Luke was saying, she caught the end of his sentence, something about an old case with new leads. She forced a smile in an effort to look like she was paying attention. It seemed to work because Luke returned the smile and reached for her hand, gently playing with her fingers as if he was trying to memorize the way they felt in his hand. It was a sweet gesture. It really was. But she just wasn't feeling it. She looked down at their joint hands, lost in her own world, wondering how she got to this point in her life where she is pining away for a guy who had no idea of the effect he had on her. She realized that this wasn't fair on Luke.

"Hey Andy, you okay over there?" Luke's concerned voice cut through her thoughts.

Was she okay? Was she okay with being that girl? Was she okay with leading on a perfectly nice guy?

"Actually no," she whispered, easing her hand out of his grasp, "no, I'm not"

Luke's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, she couldn't blame the guy. One minute she was agreeing to this date, the next she was completely spaced out.

"I…" God, she didn't even know where to begin, "I just… It's not you-" she cut herself off, how much of a cliché would that be?

_It's not you, it's me._

"It's Swarek isn't it?"

Andy could feel her mouth making a small 'o' shape. Was she that easy to read?

"Andy, you forget that I'm a detective. It doesn't take much to figure out what's going on." He raised his glass filled with amber liquid up to his lips to take a small sip.

She exhaled the deep sigh that she had been keeping in for so long.

"I'm sorry" was all that she could mutter.

"It's okay, really. I guess I just hoped I could, I don't know, change your mind." Luke finished with an uneasy laugh and a scratch of his head.

Andy found the words just tumbling out, she just couldn't stop them, "I tried, you know, I really tried to get over him. He's just so… He's so frustrating and stubborn to a fault. I thought I understood him but I don't. Sam Swarek doesn't make any sense to me."

She took a moment to re-gather herself before she realized she probably shouldn't be ranting about a guy she liked to a guy she was on a date with, "God, I am like the worst date ever. I am so sorry Luke" her face flushed a shade of pink as she ducked her head down.

Surprisingly Luke seemed to take it well, simply chuckling softly before reaching over to take her hand again, this time giving it a gentle tug to get her to look up, "Listen Andy, if Swarek can't see that there's this beautiful girl with an amazing personality and a heart of gold standing right in front of him, then he's a bigger idiot than I thought."

"Well that just proves I don't deserve you Luke" Andy said shakily, trying to lighten the conversation.

Luke seemed to notice Andy was done talking about her current situation so he easily replied, "Yeah well it's a good thing too, I have to admit I'm curious about your friend Gail. Is she seeing anyone?"

Andy rewarded him with a punch in the arm and a bright smile,

"Jerk." she retorted with a huff.

So the date didn't turn out to be a complete disaster. She realized Luke was great company once she could finally relax without the pressure of trying to turn what they had into something more. Andy appreciated how easy he handled the situation, which still made her feel bad even though he continued to reassure her that there were no hard feelings. Things with Luke were simple and Andy felt free of the weight she didn't even realize she had been carrying around.

The pair continued to talk and joke well into the night, appreciating their newfound friendship. But soon Andy realized a shift in the air. It was crazy, even to her, but she just knew whenever he was around and tonight was no different. Andy just caught the movement of the door swinging shut behind him. Maybe it was the cool breeze that he let into the Penny or maybe it was the way his eyes cut over to her before hardening and turning away, but either way she felt a shiver overtake her body.

Still she continued to watch him, she noticed how tense he looked. His shoulders seemed stiff with stress; in fact his whole body looked like it was just tied up in knots. She continued her inspection, this time turning her gaze to his face. Although she could only see his side profile, she took note of how the one eye she could see, seemed to have dark circles underneath. His jaw was clenched shut, his lips in a tight straight line. Andy had seen Sam when he was stressed and over tired from work, and although there were definitely signs that he looked like he was under pressure from working with Guns and Gangs this week, there was something else entirely mixed in with that stress. She just couldn't for the life of her figure out what.

Luke seemed to notice Andy zoning out for the second time that night so he followed her gaze to where Sam was standing,

"You're in Swarek land again" he stated; poking his finger into her arm to get her to snap out of the daze she was in.

"Shut up" she retorted, swatting at his hand.

"You know you could just go and talk to him." Luke said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That would be rude, I'm out with you."

"Right because you've been so focused on what I've been saying for the last five minutes since Swarek stepped into the room." He teased easily.

"What? No. I've been… That's not…" Andy stuttered out, trying to find a solid reason for her zoning out of the conversation, "Well it's not my fault you're boring" is what she finally decided on.

"Oh really?" Luke's eyebrow rising in disbelief, "because I swear it was only a few minutes ago that you begged me to tell you about how we solved the O'Neill case. Must have just been my imagination then" he hummed.

"Well you certainly know how to take the joy out of storytelling," she shot back, "you should really work on that. It's not your strongest suit."

Luke simply chuckled, Andy guessed it was probably because she sounded like a child but Luke didn't seem to mind, instead it seemed like it was almost refreshing for him to have this banter with her.

Luke's smiling face suddenly turned serious,

"Okay Andy honestly, go talk to him" he encouraged, gently nudging her arm with his hand.

"Luke quit it" she whined, smiling at Luke's persistence whilst trying to fend off his hand.

Andy snuck another glance up, this time finding Sam shooting back the rest of his whisky and getting up to leave. _Well that was quick._ Her forehead creased in confusion, was he not even going to say goodbye?

Again Luke turned in his chair upon seeing Andy's face laced with confusion,

"Andy go, now" he ordered with as much authority as he could muster, and normally that would annoy her but Sam's attitude left her dumbfounded enough that she just wanted to follow him. She gathered up her belongings before giving Luke a quick smile and a squeeze of the shoulder, communicating just how thankful she was for him being so understanding, before darting out the door Sam had left through.

* * *

The cool breeze caught her off guard as she exited the warm confines of The Penny, it wasn't exactly cold yet but the weather was definitely turning. Andy looked around the parking lot but didn't notice Sam's truck anywhere, and there was no way he could have started his truck and left already. She found her feet carrying her quickly down along the footpath, her head turning to the left, but not spotting Sam. Her head snapped in the opposite direction and sure enough there he was walking down the street, his feet dragging at a lethargic pace.

"Sam!" she called out, but received no response.

So Andy did the desperate thing and jogged to catch up to him, once again calling out his name and once again receiving no signs of acknowledgment.

"Sam" she said, this time grabbing onto his shoulder and giving a slight tug in order to get him to face her. It seemed to work because he finally turned around.

"McNally" he nodded.

"What's going on?" she asked, tipping her head up trying to indicate that she was specifically talking about how she had been calling for him yet he had not responded.

"Sorry," he shrugged, "just got caught up in my own head."

Andy had seen Sam lost in his own head countless of times, the look on his face right now, was not it. She let it slide though, the fact that she knew he was ignoring her cutting deep in her core.

"Uh, you didn't come say hey" she trailed off, her words sounding lame even to her own ears while she began wringing her wrists together due to her nerves.

He scoffed at that, fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose, "You seemed kind of busy McNally."

"Oh uh Luke?"

"Yeah. Callaghan" he said, voice laced with something Andy could hardly pinpoint, was it distaste?

"It's not… he's not… we aren't-" for what felt like the hundredth time that night Andy found herself tripping over words; unable to even complete a sentence.

"Go back to The Penny Andy. Go back to your date."

Andy found herself noticing that Sam had basically spat that last word out in disgust and to say she was surprised would have been an understatement. She stood there, her face creased with confusion and a million thoughts running through her head. She barely registered that Sam had spun around and was continuing to walk forward, away from her.

"Hey Sam! Wait!" she cried out, again jogging to catch up to him, this time stopping in front of him to prevent him from going any further.

"What is it Andy?" his voice raising ever so slightly in exasperation, "I'm tired okay, I just want to go home and sleep."

"It's not a date," she mumbled softly, "I mean it was at first, but it's not anymore. He… We decided to be friends. It works out better that way, I mean he's great, but there was nothing there between us romantically, you know?" Andy rambled on, her voice picking up.

Andy wasn't quite sure why she felt the need to explain to him what her relationship with Luke was. After all, it was she who promised herself not to get involved with Sam in any capacity other than as friends. She had to leave him be.

"Okay…" he said disbelievingly, "Whatever. Just go back to Callaghan."

"Whatever?" Andy parroted, "Sam, did you even hear me?" Now it was her turn to feel annoyed.

Okay, just because she was trying to let Sam go, it didn't mean she wanted him to completely ignore what she was trying to tell him here. She also tried not to acknowledge how much it bothered her that Sam had gotten the wrong idea about her and Luke. She had to let him go. She repeated the mantra over and over in her head.

Except, suddenly Sam was grabbing at her arm and steering her backwards into the wall. And suddenly she was having a hard time breathing. Whether it was because of the fact that he had her body so tightly wedged between his warm body and the cold wall or because the fire in his eyes caused her breath to catch in her throat, she wasn't sure.

She noticed how his every breath was shallow and rapid. A spark in his dark eyes that was boring into hers. Her heart was pounding at her chest, almost as if it were willing to come right out. His hand still wrapped tightly around her forearm, his touch burning her skin in the most beautiful way. His head tilted down, coming exceptionally closer.

"Sam?" she managed to whisper questioningly.

"I heard you Andy," he stated in reply to her earlier question, "I heard you. But I just can't."

Can't? Can't what? Andy's mind began racing once again. Finally Sam released his grip on her arm but what he did next definitely made her heart skip a beat. The hand that had previously been scalding her arm lifted to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing lazily down along her jaw line causing goosebumps to explode across every inch of her skin. The movement also alerted her to the fact that his other hand had found a place of comfort that was otherwise known as her hip. Maybe she was dreaming because she definitely felt him tug her impossibly closer. Andy couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips. The contact of their bodies pressing so close was making her feel things she didn't even think were possible.

"You deserve so much better" he whispered, his mouth so close to hers, just a fraction of an inch would be all it takes to have their mouths fused, but somehow Andy refrained from making any sort of movement. The last thing she would want is to startle him.

It turns out no movement was needed from Andy to cause him to snap out of his trance because almost as soon as it started, it had ended. Sam removed all contact, took two steps back, and took a hard look at Andy before racing down the street.

Andy finally had a chance to catch her breath and try to still her racing heart. She thumped her head back to rest against the wall. If she thought her head was filled with a hundred things before, well, she had no idea how to quiet her mind now.

One thing she did manage to take from that was encounter was that Sam seemed to want her the way she wanted him and that thought put a giant grin on her face. But the fact that he did nothing about it told her that maybe he didn't realize she wanted him too. This brought her back to his earlier statement when he said that she deserved so much better. That she deserved better than him? The thought was ridiculous. All she wanted was him. Why couldn't he see that?

Sam Swarek didn't make any sense to her. Why couldn't he see how she held every breath for him? Sam may be complicated, but he was also worth it. Years of friendship told her that, and if she has to convince him that he is the right one for her, then so be it.

* * *

**Sorry I was gone for so long!  
Hope you all enjoyed the longer chapter.**

**Seems like Andy's finally had a change in thinking ;) **

**P.S How crazy has Season 4 been already? AMAZING. **


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